This invention relates in general to fluid-dispensing mechanisms and, more particularly, to the design of a support housing for a soap or lotion-dispensing container which as one option is controlled by a foot pump.
Support housings are generally provided for fluid-dispensing containers so that the container can be placed in the housing and then mounted to a surface such as a wall. The fluid dispensing containers are of various sizes and shapes and contain various forms of fluid. The housings also are various sizes and shapes and there are various methods employed for securing the containers to the housings.
One method of securing the container to a housing is to use a container which has a screw-thread bottleneck which is screwed into a receiving threaded portion of the housing. This approach can sometimes cause problems because the container needs to be axially rotated and with various thread pitches and starting points, the final orientation of the container cannot be guaranteed to point in a certain selected direction. Further, other means of securing a container to a housing tend to be cumbersome or difficult to use and/or assemble. There exists a further problem when a disposable pump is used for pumping the fluid from the fluid-dispensing container. In such circumstances, a means is needed for attaching this pump to the container. If the bottleneck of the container, which has the screw threads, is used to attach the container to the housing, there is no place where the disposable pump can be easily and securely attached to this container.
A first embodiment of the present invention provides for a simple and inexpensive support housing for a fluid-dispensing container which can be easily mounted to a surface such as a wall. The first embodiment provides features for securely mounting a fluid container to the housing in a manner which is easy and simple. Further, the first embodiment allows for the use of a container which includes a disposable fluid pump which is connected to the container and attached to the screw threads of the bottleneck of the container. The first embodiment also provides a new and improved means for securing the fluid container and its disposal pump in place. These means are easy to use and simple to assemble. In contrast, prior references disclose only complicated and/or insecure methods for retaining such containers in a suitable housing.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the basic fluid dispensing concept of the first embodiment is incorporated into a surgical unit having an elongated spout and foot pump. The simple and inexpensive nature of the first embodiment and its various features are carried through to the second embodiment, the primary differences being the addition of the foot pump and those structural changes required to incorporate the vinyl connecting hose from the foot pump to the pumping mechanism coupled to the fluid-dispensing container.
It is also desirable that the support housing of both embodiments be designed so that they can receive only the types of fluid-dispensing containers which they purport to house. In this way the person using the fluid dispenser can be assured that the fluid dispensing container disposed within the support housing contains the type of fluid that he expects. The present invention provides a support housing which includes a unique mounting means for a fluid container which has a specifically adapted and contoured neck portion. This allows the support housing to accept only those types of fluid containers that include such a contoured neck portion. This is important, for example, where these types of containers are used for hand washing where proper hygiene is very important. In hospitals, for example, the hand washing fluids contained within these fluid-dispensing containers have to be fluids which are designed to provide the utmost in cleaning and disinfection. Therefore, any mix-up in fluids could be a problem, and such problems are minimized by the present invention.
The present invention provides for a support housing which is designed to only mate with a certain type of fluid-dispensing container. Therefore, this insures the user that the housing will only house fluid containers containing the fluid he needs and expects. A further feature of the present invention is the presence of a central opening in the housing front. This opening is sized and positioned so that the user is provided a visual indication of the container and its contents.
A support housing for a fluid dispensing container which is used in specific areas needs to be simple and easily taken apart so that it can be easily cleaned and reloaded with a fresh supply of solution. In hospital environments, for example, these types of containers will often be found in scrub areas outside of surgery. Such containers cannot afford to become contaminated and by providing a device that can be easily disassembled and cleaned, contamination is minimized.
There are numerous devices which have been patented for fluid-dispensing containers but none of these provide the advantages and the ease of use and the simple features of the present invention. Also none of these prior patents provide for a container which can be attached to the support housing and still have its disposable pump attached around the screw threads of the bottleneck. Further none of these prior-patented devices provide for a support housing which will only accept a certain type of container which has a uniquely contoured neck portion. Examples of prior patents are the following:
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee ______________________________________ 3,858,762 Meshberg 3,182,337 Price 3,334,791 Metzler 2,198,811 Gabriel 650,166 Chadbourn 3,349,967 Schneller 2,652,952 Mowbray 3,045,873 Ryan 2,583,867 Dobkin ______________________________________
Dobkin discloses a liquid soap dispenser and features a nondisposable pump which is part of the housing. Dobkin does not have a unique means of attaching the fluid-dispensing container to the housing. Ryan discloses a housing for an aerosol bomb. The housing is specifically designed for the use of an aerosol bomb and does not have any specific features for uniquely mounting the fluid container.
Mowbray discloses a liquid soap dispenser which is intended to be used with only one type of container. However, Mowbray does not allow for a disposable pump to be attached to the container. Mowbray uses the threads of the bottleneck portion of the container to attach the container to the housing.
Schneller discloses a rack for containing various toiletry dispensers. There does not appear to be a disposable pump, and the containers are completely enclosed. Further, the container of Schneller is difficult to take apart and difficult to assemble and the containers are threadedly mounted by their bottleneck portion to the housing. Schneller does not disclose a container which requires a unique bottle shape with a unique bottleneck portion.
Chadbourn discloses a pneumatic syrup jar for soda fountains, but again, Chadbourn is mounted by taking advantages of the threads on the bottleneck portion and is not adapted for receipt of unique types of bottles. Gabriel discloses a coin-operated liquid dispenser which discloses the concept of mounting the bottle by using the threads of the bottleneck.
Metzler discloses a simple device which again is for a fluid dispenser, but again, the bottle is mounted by its bottleneck portion and there is no provision for a disposable fluid pump nor is there provision for using uniquely shaped bottles with the device.
Price shows a flush tank attachment for lever operation of atomizer deodorant cans. The device shows a method for mounting a can but does not show a method for mounting a specifically contoured container which has a specially contoured neck portion. Further, there is no means shown in Price for securing the cans so that they are held in the bracket securely. Finally, the Price invention does not show any way to insure that only certain types of cans would be fitted to the support housing. Meshberg discloses an actuator assembly for an encased dispenser. The valve stem of the container is assembled to a spray button which is acted upon by actuator means.
None of the foregoing patents discloses a device such as the present invention which provides a support housing for a fluid container wherein the support housing is constructed so as to receive a fluid container with a specifically contoured neck portion. Further, none of the patented devices discloses a support housing for a fluid dispensing container which is as simple and as easy to use as the present invention. Also none of the prior patents known to exist disclose the particular feature of this invention for insuring that only specific types of fluid containers, with the disposable pump attached to the bottleneck screw threads, are used with the support housing. Finally, none of the prior patents, known to exist disclose the above concepts and features in combination with a remotely located, but directly connected foot pump.